How do shields work?

[TheDood]

I've just picked up Runequest 2 and after reading through it I'm still unsure how shields affect combat. Do they provide any protection or are they weapons (where their listed). IF they do provide protection, how?

 

[Mongoose Pete]

I've just picked up Runequest 2 and after reading through it I'm still unsure how shields affect combat. Do they provide any protection or are they weapons (where their listed). IF they do provide protection, how?

Shields are weapons, but ones tailored to be more protective than offensive. Thus they have a better size rating to soak damage when parrying, but inflict minor damage themselves if used to batter an opponent.

Shields can also parry missile attacks, which other weapons cannot.

 

[AxeMurder]

Because of their size they are also useful for bashing high skilled opponents wielding medium weapons.

 

[Deleriad]

Because of their size they are also useful for bashing high skilled opponents wielding medium weapons.

Not really. Shields provide the least bang for the buck for their size. E.g. A hoplite shield is Huge but does only 1D4 damage, compared to a Greatsword which is also Huge but does 2D8 damage. Now if you're using a hoplite shield and short spear facing someone with a medium weapon, then shield bashing will at least do 1D4 damage if parried where the spear will do nothing if parried. On the other hand, if your opponent misses their parry then you'll regret not having the extra damage of the short spear.

On the gripping hand, if you're facing a very skillful opponent, then continually battering them with your shield is a reasonable tactic in game terms.

Perhaps somewhat ironically, if you are trying for a Bash combat manoeuvre then you're better off with the spear because it does more damage and the amount of knockback is determined before parry and armour reductions.

 

[TheDood]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm still not 100% on which is better though, Two-Handed Weapons or 1 handed + shields.

What and the benefits to each?

 

[Deleriad]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm still not 100% on which is better though, Two-Handed Weapons or 1 handed + shields.

What and the benefits to each?

2H weapons generally do more damage, have a longer reach and are a bigger size class.

1H weapon plus shield gains you an extra CA. Shields are on a par with 2H weapon size class so can block a similar amount of damage. Shields can also be used to block missile weapons.*

So, 1H weapon plus shield does less damage per hit but may be able to hit more often (due to extra CA) or parry more often. I would say that the higher your skill, the more benefit you get from the extra CA provided by 1H weapon + shield.

*Something very important. If you don't try to parry or evade a missile attack then any successful attack will generate a CM. Evading prevents you from attacking on your next turn so hiding behind a shield is about the best you can do.